They have 2 testimonials (view below)
Dog(s), Chicken(s), Bird(s), Fish, Rabbit(s), Tortoise/Turtle(s), Guinea pig(s), Rodent(s), Reptile(s) – Except for cats (Laurie is allergic), we very much enjoy looking after after family pets. In fact, one of our primary reasons for house sitting is our love of animals, especially dogs.
They have a police check
From: 1 June 2023
Until: 31 December 2024
Retired
They have referees/references (view below)
We have been married more than 30 years and have owned and maintained our own home during most of that time. After college, Neil had his own business for more than twenty-five years. Laurie has earned two masters degrees and also was self-employed. Now that our children are grown, we are spending time traveling and discovering about lifestyles in other places.
Currently, we have completed nineteen house sits and thoroughly enjoyed every one. We have gotten to know some amazing folks and cared for twenty-four dogs that will live in our hearts forever. We love house sitting and plan to continue doing it for as long as we can.
We have also learned that we are perfectly suited to the many aspects of caring for the homes and pets of others and have received rave reviews. You will find all our reviews on our web site at https://stolmaker.com
We have owned and tended a one hundred year old home on country property, with solar electricity and large, solar heated swimming pool, a hot tub and a fish pond-for more than a dozen years.
We love animals and can care for most, with the exception of indoor cats, due to allergies.
We both enjoy spending time learning about and exploring other places and meeting new friends. We believe that adventure in our lives expands our horizons. We enjoy artistic ventures, photography, writing, and Laurie has been a clay artist and sculptor and now enjoyes watercolor painting.
Laurie has worked on long term assignments in a number of locations in the US, as well as Germany. Neil does some work from his computer. We are enjoying some fun travel time and a chance to explore possible new location for a more permanent residence.
We are currently traveling and taking housesitting assignments, because we like to stay in a place long enough to really get to know it and meet the local residents. House sitting assignments have included taking care of a beautiful 4200 sq ft home filled with art treasures and caring for a 12-acre orchard and 1-year-old Jack Russell Terrier.
Prior to houesitting, we have owned three of our own homes and understand the needs of homeowners. We have left our home and pets in the care of others on several occasions and we know that entrusting your home to strangers can be a bit daunting.
We always provide lots of information to homeowners and are happy to speak with them on the phone or Skype until they can get to know us a bit better and feel comfortable with us. We are very responsible and well organized and leave very little to chance.
We will be sure that we know everything that you expect when we housesit for you and make sure that we carry out all your instructions to the letter.
We are excellent at adapting to new environments and enjoy learning about new places. Neil has been an avid student of home maintenance and repair and has developed the diy skills to handle home related problems that occasionally occur.
Having lived in three different homes that we owned, we are able to tackle almost any homeowner challenge! We have had a large swimming pool, cared for a fish pond, raised chickens and a bunny and dealt with a well, septic system and extensive grounds keeping in our recent home. We have always tended a flower and vegetable garden and we love to grow organic produce. Local, fresh eggs are a favorite for us.
In our house sitting assignments, Neil has replaced an ionizer in a fish pond, reset electronic appliances after a power outage, changed halogen bulbs, reprogrammed a garage door opener, and reconfigured a well-water pump, to name a few.
We love dogs, have owned three and always relish becoming friends with beloved pets. We have also owned chickens, ducks, fish, and some smaller animals, including a rabbit and a rat.
Home owners have told us that we are enthusiastic, friendly, well organized, and excellent at communication.
Caribbean, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Indonesia, Mexico, Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, United States
From: 1 June 2023
Until: 31 December 2024
They don't charge for house sitting services
MindMyHouse member since 2012
Age: 66-75 years old
Family status:
Couple
Total completed house sits: 2
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Testimonials
Housesitting in rural Maine
Neil and Laurie took wonderful care of our dog, Bailey, and our home and property while we were away for 3 months. We had a bad experience with a previous housesitter and were a bit unsure about leaving Bailey and our house with people we did not know. They sent extra references and contacted us frequently in advance of their arrival to ease our minds. Bailey loved them and the varied, frequent walks they took him on while they explored our region of Maine. After they left he kept looking around for them. We also needed doggy fixes while we were away. They e-mailed us photos of Bailey periodically. The kitchen drains clogged up. They tried all of our tried and true declogging tricks. When all remedies failed, Neil made all the arrangements to have the pipes reamed out. If that wasn’t enough, later the hot water gave out. They contacted our heat service company which came out to replace a 20-year part that had self-destructed. We left them with the remains of an awful winter, piles of snow and ice still on the ground. We were concerned that we might have a quick thaw and subsequent basement flooding, but they made sure the drainage ditches flowed properly. Then there was the yard. Once spring had sprung, the grass starts growing. Our yard is not an easy mow since there are so many rocks and turns. Neil kept it well groomed. Laurie provided the crowning touches by planting spring pansies, impatiens and seeds in my planters. The house was clean when we arrived home. Fresh flowers on the table. A dinner waiting. Fruit on the counter and food in the refrigerator. In addition a summary report. We would not hesitate for a second to have them stay again.
Deborah, United States, 14 October, 2018
An exceptional housesitting couple!
After going through all the offers from home sitters, Neil and Laurie Stolmaker stood out from the rest. Their vast experience as home sitters, the positive reviews from home owners, their website and articles they wrote on home sitting, were enough to convince us that they were the right people for this assignment. After a few emails and Skype conversations Neil and Laurie arrived to our house on April 10, and we left a few days later for our European trip. Neil and Laurie turned out to be extremely competent paying attention to the smallest details about their assignment while we were gone. They emailed and scanned for us important documents, dealt with banking matters, informed us on everything they thought it was important for us to know. They kept the home and grounds in immaculate condition. For us, it was like we never left and feeling so secure with people like Neil and Laurie living at our home, made our long voyage worry-free and very easy. When we came back home more than 6 months later, we found Neil and Laurie, a wonderful couple and a clean, pleasant home, just the way we’ve left it! The final touch, was the delicious meal that Laurie cooked for us, not to mention a fridge full of goodies that they left behind. Neil and Laurie left the next day and we were sad to see them go. We highly recommend Neil and Laurie Stolmaker as the perfect home sitters! Joseph and Twanna Arizona, USA
Joseph, United States, 14 October, 2018